The ongoing discourse between fashion and the practices of Catholicism forms the theme of the 2018 Costume Institute Benefit and the heart of this two-venue show. The Met Fifth Avenue arrays some 40 ecclesiastical robes and accessories, many never before seen outside of the Vatican. Uptown at the The Met Cloisters, more than 150 ensembles—largely womenswear, designed by the likes of Cristóbal Balenciaga, John Galliano, and Donatella Versace—are exhibited alongside medieval art, positioning fashion design within the wider context of religious art production.
John Galliano for House of Dior, “Evening Ensemble” (Autumn/Winter 2000-2001).
Photo: Courtesy of Dior Heritage Collection, Paris; and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Digital Composite Scan: Katerina Jebb.
